


When power comes, we stick together

by indiwhite



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Bisexual Female Character, Bisexuality, F/F, F/M, Gay, Jealousy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-08
Updated: 2019-10-29
Packaged: 2020-06-24 15:42:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19726684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/indiwhite/pseuds/indiwhite
Summary: We think that eleven is the last one to be rescued, to have gotten away from those labs. Though what if there was one left, one that finally got away? What if, when the gang needs help to fight against evil Russian's, this new girl can help, can save them, or try to help. Perhaps that when this girl shows up, maybe things will be different.a rewrite of Stanger things 3 with a character insert. Also different romance because I hate mikeXell (eleven). Plot points will be different, some points skipped. You will have to have watched the show to understand, and that way you can fill in the blanks





	1. 7?

We enter the starting scene of season three, the weapon trying to penetrate into the upside down. Sparks flying, the weapon shutting down before it explodes, killing everyone that's not in the safe booth around it. What appears to be some sort of commander walks to who appears to be a main scientists, chocking the life out of him. Another soldier approaches another scientist, telling him he has one year, one year to get it to work. They then walk out, showing the snowy mountains of the country. 

Then we're opened to Mike and Eleven, music playing in the background as we find them making out. Mike begins to sing, Eleven telling him to stop, as it is atrocious singing. We then see Hopper watching Tv, peeking through the door to see the two kids kissing. Eleven slams and locks the door before opening, Mike and Eleven looking innocent. Before Hopper can say anything, they're interrupted by a loud crash clang noise coming from outside. 

Hopper groans, an annoyed growl escaping him. He looks to Ell, expecting her nose to be bleeding from making something fall outside to distract him. Though the girl shakes her head.  
"Wasn't me" she says, looking to Mike who shrugs. Another crash, making Hopper turn around.

"Stay there" he says sternly, walking out. Though the two, as per normal, don't listen and follow him. Another crash, something falling to the ground as the three of them make their way outside. Hopper rolls his eyes at the two, knowing it won't be any good to send them back inside. 

When they reach the small shed, they all gasp. What they expected to be a racoon was definitely not that. Ell's eyes widen, stepping into the shed. Hopper grabs her shoulder, stopping her from going any closer. 

On the floor layed what seemed to be a girl, older than the kids. She looked to be about seventeen or so, maybe eighteen. She had dark, dark brown hair. Her skin was pale, like it hadn't seen the sun. She seemed to have passed out, and she was dressed in something like a hospital gown, it looked like the exact same one Eleven wore when she first arrived. 

"Stay" Hopper says, Mike taking Eleven's hand in his own. Hopper growls again, and walks closer. He picks the girl up, she wasn't nearly as heavy as she expected her to be. He walks towards the house, Mike and Ell following. Mike was supposed to leave to meet his friends, he was later than normal. 

He didn't say a thing to the others about the girl, simply going to watch the movie as planned. 

Meanwhile Hopper stood, walking around unsure of what to do. Another? Was it happening again? No, it couldn't be. 

"She- she" Ell stutters, unable to finish her sentence. Her eyes where filled with slight fear, not just of this girl bring here, but for the girl herself. Hopper turns to her, and Ell was holding the girls arm, showing the man the number 7 tattooed onto it. Hopper shakes his head in disbelief. 

The two, along with the friends at the movies, where oblivious to what was coming. Though Will could feel it, he didn't say anything, not wanting it to be happening again, trying to convince himself it was a coincidence. 

The next day, a typical day. Nancy and Jonathan almost late till work, talking about their job. Really, they actually didn't care about Nancy at all, it's ridiculous. 

Now we have Dustin  
"This is golden leader returning to base, do you copy?" He was back from camp! And ready to go for a new year!

He arrives home, and unbeknownst to him his friends where waiting. Ell makes some of his toys lead him out of his room. He follows them out. Ell and Mike turn to each other, still unsure about being here after what happened this morning. 

Earlier that morning  
The girl wakes up, sitting up with her elbows and rubs her eyes. She looks around, beginning to panick. She scrambles on the couch, trying to get away. She screams, looking around. Eleven immediately runs out, trying to calm the girl  
"It's ok" she says, the attempt failing as Hopper runs out

"Hey, kid calm down", he grabs her, and she screams, her nose beginning to bleed as she's sucked into his mind, unlike Eleven she's in his thoughts. She remains their for a second before she is back, Ell staring at her. She calms down, breathing heavily. Her voice is small, scared

"Don't hurt me..." She trails off, looking down as she curls up. 

Later, before she heads to Dustin's Mike comes to get her, but is greeted by Hopper. He shows him in, to where the girl was hiding in Ell's room, her eyes skrewd shut. Ell was sitting in front of her, watching her. 

Back to present  
They're at Dustin's, and watching as Lucas washes his eyes out with water as Dustin had sprayed him with hair spray. 

"We should tell" Ell says, looking to the others as she watches Dustin present his strange creations. When Mike shakes his head, they go back.

"Noth pole to South" Dustin says and when he adds girlfriend, everyone immediately follows him out, wanting to hear this "Suzie" of his.

We're then with Steve at the icecream parlour, his attempt to 

"And another one bites the dust", a girl, cute, with short brownish blonde hair laughing at his attempt. 

Now Hopper and Joyce. Joyce is trying to explain to Hopper how to talk to Mike and Ell about boundaries, though the man is rather distracted by the girl, who was stuck in Ell's room, bot moving

"Alright Joyce. This is crap, I have to tell you something", she stops reciting the speech, and Joyce looks confused as he stands and walks towards her, looking around to make sure no one else was around. This makes the woman more confused

"Hopper, what is it?" She asks, and Hopper sighs before answering. 

"There's another one", this answer doesn't give anything to Joyce, who shakes her head

"What-" she starts, but Hopper cuts her off.

"Another kid, like Ell". Joyce freezes with this, unable to even begin to believe it.

"You're kidding", she says, pacing in front of him with a shake of her head again. Hopper again sighs, grabbing Joyce's wrist gently. Joyce looks down to her wrist, a terrified look on her face

"No, I'm not". His bluntness shakes the both of them. She immediately grabs him, making him drive her, wanting to see this girl for herself. 

Meanwhile Mike and Eleven leave the group, coming up with an excuse. Though this time it's not so they can hang out, it's so they can go see the girl

When they arrive home Joyce is standing in the living room with Hopper, both of them a neautral expression on their faces.

"How is she?" Eleven asks, seeming really concerned for the girl. Neither of the two adults speak, and she goes to head for her room. Mike is about to follow, but Ell shakes her head

"No, just me", Mike tries to argue, but Ell gives him a warning look and he immediately backs off. 

Ell enters the room, and the girl was in the same place as before, in the corner, knees to her chest, her head down. Though she looks up shyly when she hears Ell enter, and she watches her. 

"Hi" the younger of the two says, and the girl remains silent. So Ell continues

"You're 7, right?" She asks, the girl nodding.  
"I'm Eleven, people call be Ell". The girl nods again, and speaks quietly  
"Hi", her voice is still quiet, timid, and Ell smiles. She reaches a hand to 7, but seven stiffens and coils back further

"It's ok, I won't hurt you", Ell says quietly, and 7 trembles, before unfurling her legs and looking into Ell's eyes. Ell smiles kindly, gently helping 7 up. The taller girl follows, being lead out by Ell. Mike and Hopper look up, pausing their conversation. 7 trembles, looking to them

"Hi", she speaks, and Mike smiles. He steps closer, causing 7 to step back in fear. Ell shakes her head, telling him not to step any further. Hopper gives a smile, nodding to Ell appreciately. Joyce then speaks softly,

"Hey there. I'm Joyce, I won't hurt you. Can I come closer?" Surprisingly, 7 nods. Hopper and Mike look at each other, shrugging. Joyce steps closer, clutching a bag in her hand. She leads the two girls back into Ell's room, leaving Mike and Hopper to shrug again and wait


	2. Mall rats and more

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter two! It overlaps slightly into episode three, but only slightly. I wanna keep thsse chapters within the episodes. Here ya go!

An hour later Ell and Joyce step out, followed by 7 who was now no longer dressed in the grown. Instead she was now dressed in a flannel, grey t shirt and brown shorts. She had the smallest hint of a smile on her face. 

~~

The next day Mike doesn't show up, Ell rings him. He says something about his Nana, Ell seeming suspicious of it. 7 tilts her head at the conversation, sitting behind the girl. Ell frowns, placing the phone back down. 

"Ok?" 7 asks, and Ell nods  
"Yeah, I'm ok" she lies, and 7 frowns but simply nods. The two spend the morning in slight silence.  
Though Ell does ask occasional questions. 7 seemed much calmer around just her, or even last night around just her and Joyce.

"How old are you?" She asks, and seven tilts her head, not seeming to be understanding fully

"I'm Mike's age, you?" 7 doesn't answer, thinking to herself. She seems to be able to answer now, remembering something  
"Umm 17 or 18?" She ends it as a question, Ell smiling

"Ok" she says, making 7 smile happily. 

Now, Dustin is with Steve at the mall. Talking about Suzie, before he changes to subject to Russians. Dustin yells it, getting a lot of strange looks, including from Robin. Although I'd give someone a strange look if they yelled something about Russians. 

Now we're with Max, who spots Ell and a new chick, the girl. She stood behind Ell shyly, her hair down, brown waves over her shoulders.  
"Hi" Ell says, the girl looking to Max

"Umm hi?" The ginger responds, and 7 trembles  
"Can we talk?" Ell asks, gesturing to Max then to 7 then to herself. Max nods, leading them inside. 

"This is 7" Ell says, as the girl looks around, fiddling with the hem of her shirt. Max nods, still confused, so Ell continues, sitting on Max's bed, gesturing for 7 to sit next to her.  
"She's like me". That's all that Ell has to say for Max to understand, her eyes going wide, scaring the dark haired older girl. Ell takes her hand, calming her. 

"No way!" Max says, 7 giving a shy smile to the ginger. Max seems excited, pacing infront of the two. 7 giggles slightly, making the other two younger girls giggle.  
"How old is she?" Max asks, looking the girl up and down, 7 tilting her head. Ell answers for her

"She said 17 or 18". 7 nods, she rubs a hand over the tattoo on her arm. Max walks closer, but 7 doesn't jumps back or curl away. Max then moves behind her, making her tense up. Ell gives her hand a reassuring squeeze, 7 nodding. 

"So she's like, got superpowers too?" This makes Ell giggle, making 7 smile again.

"Max" Ell says, rolling her eyes. Max rolls her eyes as well

"I know I know, they're not superpowers. Anyway, what can she do?" Ell looks to 7, actually curious of this herself. 7, who seemed a lot calmer now, begins to speak, this being the most she has spoken since they found her. 

"I can, I can looking into..." She trails off, trying to figure out how to word it.  
"Look into your thoughts, what you are thinking. And can alter memories" she says, Max looking stunned and Ell also surprised. Though 7 adds something

"And I can boost someone's powers. And I can take someone with me". This makes Ell gasp, seeming amazed. 

"Wait, so you can like hear what people are thinking?" Max asks, and 7 nods, a grin creeping onto her face. 

"That's so cool!" Max squeals, making Ell laugh, and 7 giggles. But Ell says something, and Max growls, they change the subject. 7 listens in, curious as to what was going on.

"He's so lying to you" Max says, and Ell tilts her head.

"Really?" 7 looks slightly confused, but doesn't say anything. 

"Yes! Ugh, he's such a loser" Max says, running her hands through 7's hair, playing with it. 

"How do you still have your hair?" Ell asks, running her fingers through her own hair. Max nods, wanting to hear the answer.

"It is a part of me. It makes it easier to get into someone, to have all of me", 7 answers simply, the feeling of Max playing with her hair making her sigh. 

"Alright, boys suck. Lets go to the mall", Max declares, now having made small braids through 7's hair. 7 looks at the two confused, making Max smirk. Ell, who would usually protest breaking Hopper's rules, doesn't, seeming eager to do something to distract her from Mike. 

"Wait", 7 says, looking up biting her bottom lip is unease. Ell stands, her hand still intertwined with 7's fingers

"It's ok", she says to the girl, and nods to Max that the two of them where ready. With that, they head out, a grin not leaving 7's face. 

Skip to the mall, Dustin and Steve being not so subtle and allowing Robin to help with their failing translations. Really, how does that girl speak four different languages? Anywho, they cave and let her help. 

Now we're with Nancy and Jonathan. This old lady had rung up about some rats eating her fertilizer. It was rather sceptical, to the both of them, except the old lady. 

The lady says there is something wrong with these rats, and shows tat she had somehow, magically been able to catch one. 

Now to town hall, a guy with a motorbike helmet walking past Hopper. Hopper looks up before entering to the mayors office. They have a conversation, about the people who are now protesting outside, who had lost their jobs. Really, it's just rubbish, the mayor (what's his name) that doesn't really matter.

We're back with Ell, Max and 7. 7 hides behind the two, seeming scared. Ell does question them being here and stops.  
"Too many people. Against the rules". Max scoffs slightly before countering.

"You have superpowers. Whats the worst that can happen?" With that, Ell nods, taking 7's hand and following Max at her side. 

Ell looks around, just as stunned at 7. Max then drags them around to different stores. First, we have a clothes store. 7 watches, slightly confused. Though Ell seems impressed as well. 

A quick cut to Joyce, who heads to the kids science teacher's house, books in hand. He is quite an odd sight, a t shirt and shorts.

Quickly back to Nancy and Jonathan. The male is trying desperately to take pictures of the crazed rats, while Nancy is ringing up a few pest control places to see if anyone had complained about rabbid rats. The rat continues to run before slowing

It seems to be having a sort of seziure, twitching crazily. The two leave the basement before the light flicker the rat, it actually explodes into a pile of goo. It oozes out of the cage, down a drain. 

We forgot to mention this earlier, but some of you may know Billie, Max's brother. He's in another world, in his mind. He's talking to himself, confused. He is then at the pool, his skin sizzling, literally, in the sun. Now in the shower, he is screaming, hearing something. His co worker at the pool, Heather, comes to help. She is concerned

Back at the hall, Ell trying things on. She seems happy, and her and Max are giggling as Ell tries things on. 7 smile, watching the two. Though, before she comments on how pretty Ell looks in this new outfit, she's roped into it as well by Max.

"Come on! You too!" 7 sputters, unable to form a coherent scentence as she's dragged around the the shop by Max, unsure of what she was supposed to do. Max throws something at her, pushing her into a dressing room. She emerges a few minutes later in a colourful top and jeans, the flannel tied around her waist. Ell and Max look to each other before nodding, the three of them exiting the store. 7 had a slight smirk on her face. 

The three walk through the store, arms linked, as they walk into a photo store. They try on a heap of funny outfits, before running off to a different store to try on shoes. 7 laughs as she watches Ell fail miserably at wearing high heels, all three of them shaking their heads while laughing, getting looks from older girls about 7's age. Though 7 paid them no attention at all. 

7 watches as Ell plays some trick on a group of girls, before Max comments as they run off.  
"See? What'd I tell you? There's more to life than stupid boys!" Though the older of the three was still rather confused, she giggled along with the other two. 

Back to the three in the icecream shop. Steve, Robin, and Dustin. Robin and Dustin inform Steve of their scentence, the male really rather sceptical if it was helpful at all, Robin countering with,  
"Well it's something, isn't it?"

Then Max and Ell, along with the new girl stop on, each grabbing a cone off Steve, before he asks  
"Wait, are you even aloud to be here? And who are you?" He looks to them, but they don't answer, running off giggling again. 

The three girls swap icecream cones, before exiting the mall. Unfortunately, Max spots the three boys, who had been looking around for a sorry gift for Ell. 7 looks confused, raising an eyebrow at the two girls, then at the three boys. 

Max walks over, followed by 7 and Ell  
"Isn't this a nice suprise?" The scarcasm in her voice is thick, making 7 smirk again. 

Mike drops his bike, looking at Ell. He seemed like he was slightly angry  
"What. Are you doing here?!" He asks sternly, stepping forward. Though 7 catches Lucas and Will's attention, Lucas speaking. 

"Who's she?" The boy asks, but the girls and Mike ignore him. 

"Shopping", Ell answers simply, again making 7 smirk wider

"This is her new style. Whatddaya think?" Max asks, lips pursed at the boy. Though Lucas and Will where still staring at 7. 

"What's wrong with you? You know she's not allowed to be here" Mike whisper yells, making 7 wince slightly, but doesn't make it obvious as her smirk returns. It seemed he was not just speaking for Ell, but also for 7. But he seemed much more concerned about Ell. 

"What is she? Your little pet?" Max hisses back, Ell backing him up. 

"Yeah, am I your pet?" Ell looks at him with an annoyed look, shaking her head.

"What? No!" Mike says, surprised.

"Then why do you treat me like garbage?" Ell is straightforward, and 7 sighs at this, a frown replacing her smirk. 

"What?" 

"You said Nana was sick"

"She is, she is. She's super sick". Lucas adds in, trying to back Mike up 

"She is, super sick"

"And that's why we'ree here, shopping, for Nana. Also we're here to get a gift for you", he looks to Ell, who doesn't look impressed  
"But we couldn't find anything that suited you and I only have like three dollars and fifty cents, so its hard". He emphasizes hard and Lucas jumps in again. 

"Super hard. It-its expensive" he shakes his head to make his point more dramatic. Ell looks hurt, so she talks

"You lie. Why do you lie?" She looks at Mike, wanting an answer.

Mike tries to come up with answer, his mouth hanging open, wanting to say something. 

The bus arrives, Ell turning back to look at it. She was angry, annoyed. 7 could tell, biting her bottom lip, unsure of what the girl would do. 

Ell steps forward, right up to Mike before speaking.  
"I dump your ass". Max looks impressed, and that smirk from earlier made its way back onto 7's face. Ell grabs Max's hand, pulling her away, 7 following. All three boys looked stunned, Will and Lucas wide eyed, still wanting to know who that girl was. 

The three girls entering the bus, 7 sitting behind them. She grins as the two girls begin to giggle, both of them smiling as they do so. 

Will just watches the bus leave, an upset look on his face. 

Then Hopper, arresting someone. Then to him in a restaurant, wearing a very fancy shirt for someone like him. He waits, waiting for Joyce to arrive for their definitely not date. 

Unfortunately Joyce had forgotten about it, still with the science teacher Clark. Talking about Joyce's magnets, the ones that no longer stuck to her fridge. They come up with a conspiracy, something about a crazy thing with a giant machine that would be able to pull something like this off.

Dustin, Steve and Robin again. Still at the mall, the icecream shop. They seem to have figured out the Russian code, reading it out all together  
"The week is long, the silver cat feeds when blue meets yellow in the west".

They begin to leave  
"I mean, I mean it just can't be right" Dustin says, seeming to be doubting the translation. Robin tells him it's right, Dustin agreeing its a code. Steve doubts it. Robin agrees with Dustin. 

Steve stops at a kiddy ride, wanting a quarter. Robin and Dustin mock him, and then Dustin gets it. Its the same song as in the recording. This sums it up, that code, it was from Hawkins.

Hopper is still drinking, waiting for Joyce to arrive. He leaves, taking a bottle of wine with him. 

(Skip Billie and Heather with the monster, I'm not writing that)

~~

Now we're at Ell's room. Max dancing, 7 giggling at Max's dancing because, well it's really not that good. Ell was looking through some magazines, looking at different pictures of boys. Though, she wasn't that interested, and 7 couldn't understand what anyone would see in someone like that. 

"He's hot, right?" Max asks, and Ell nods slowly. Although she didn't think he was, at all really. There was something nagging at her, something there she couldn't quite understand. And Max, while she tried to sound as happy as she could, trying to sound like typical Max, she didn't really want Ell to think that dude was hot, she was perhaps feeling something, and she was annoyed at herself that she didn't know what it was.

7 however, even after being in a lab her entire life, smiled at the two, getting a hint of what each of them where feeling. She didn't know it yet, but there was a reason she could slightly feel what they where feeling, it drifting off of the two sort of like, well, a thought. 

"Bet he's an amazing kisser too", Max adds, and Ell looks to her, giving her a 'really, you went there?' look. 

"Hey, uh, is Mike a good kisser?" Max's question makes Ell seem a bit shy, 7 watching this unfold. She really did need to ask what a lot of this was. 

"Well, I don't know. He's my first boyfriend" Ell says, before Max corrects her

"Ex boyfriend". Ell looks down, like she was upset, though that wasn't at all. 

"Hey, don't worry about it ok? He'll come crawling back to you and begging for forgiveness". She tries to reassure the other girl, although in Ell's head she doesn't want that though she forces herself. Max smiles at her, a little disappointed on the inside. 

Though, the two immediately come up with an Idea, Ell smiling cheekily. 7 finally speaks up, catching on  
"I can help". 

With that, the three of them are on the floor. 7 is leaning against the set of draws, testing her head back. In her lap sat Ell, putting the blindfold on as white noise from the radio fills the room. 7 closes her eyes, biting her bottom lip. 

Max then sits on the bed excited  
"Is this really gonna work?" The two girls nod  
"Holy shit this is insane".  
"Max", both Ell and 7 say sternly, and Maz shuts up  
"Sorry".

It takes a few moments, but both girls are in the space of the males.  
"How did you get in?" Ell asks out loud, Max gasping  
"It works the same way. I can come with you like you can come with me". Max gasps again excitedly, and the two girls focus their attention back on the boys. 

"I see them", Ell speaks, and Max jumps off the bed to her side

"What are they doing?" 

"Eating", Max rolls her eyes at this and 7 listens closer

7 rolls her eyes at the boys, crossing her arms over her chest

"They say we are species", Ell says, Max seeming confused so Ell continues on what they can hear  
"Emotional logic". Max narrows her eyes, seeming pissed off my this

"What?!" They keep listening. They exit, and the three of them both start laughing. 

Hopper comes home, immediately thinking it's Mike so he runs it. 7 looks up along with the two

"Do you knock? Geez", Ell follows her lead

"Yeah, Geez". After an awkward conversation, Ell explaining that Max wants to sleep over, Max asking if he needs something, he leaves. 

"He's strange", 7 says, making the girls laugh

"I like you", Max says, smiling at 7.  
"Though you need a name". 7 tilts her head, and Ell nods

" A nickname. Like me", the girls clarify for 7, and the girl nods. Ell thinks, before Max speaks again

"How about, Z (pronounced Zee)?" She suggests, and 7, now Z, nods slowly.

"I like it", Z says, nodding happily

"It'll do". Before they can move on, Z asks something.

"Wait, I have questions". Before she can continue Max pulls her up onto the bed, Ell following. 

"Ok, go", Max says, nodding. Ell does the same. 

"Ok, I'm confused. What's with Mike?" She asks, sounding like a normal teenage girl the way she words it, but sounding like Eleven with the tone when she's unsure about something. Both Ell and Max look to each other, unsure of how to answer this. Though Ell understood why she was confused, as she felt the same way once. 

"Umm ok", Max falls onto her back, Z and Ell both watching. Ell bites her bottom lip nervously.  
"So, think of friends yeah?" Z tilts her head again, and Ell gestures to the three of them

"Friends", Z nods, understanding. 

"Yeah ok. So now think of something higher than that", Max explains, Z biting her bottom lip, sticking her toung out in thought. After a minute, she nods slowly, catching on slowly. 

"Ok", Z nods, kicking her lips. Ell looks down, smiling slightly before she looks back up at Max. Z watches the two, tilting her head to the side slightly. 

"Ok, good. Now, I have an idea!" Max claps her hands together, and both the other girls look to her, waiting for what she would say, wondering what she had in mind.


	4. The case of the missing lifegaurd

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this isn't all that exciting but it needed to be done. Next chapter will be more interesting as its the sauna ep and Will and Lucas get to know Z. Meanwhile, read this!

Z and Ell smile as Max explains her idea, a cheeky grin making it's way onto the ginger's face that makes Ell giggle. Z watches, biting her lip in excitement. 

"Alright, spin", Max says, and Ell takes the bottle, spinning it on the board. It lands on Mr Wheeler.

"Boring!" Max says, shaking her head.   
"Spin again". 

Ell reaches for the bottle to spin it again, but hesitates.   
"Against the rules?" Max smirks

"We make out own rules", with that, Z watching closely, Ell spins again. It lands kn none other that Max's brother Billy. 

Max squeals, jumping up and grabbing the radio. Z giggles at the red head.   
"Alright, but I have to warm you. If he's with a girl, or doing something gross, get out of there right away or you'll be scared for life".

"Max"

"Alright, shutting up now. Sooo", Max looks to Z, who nods, taking Ell's hand as she puts the blindfold on, Max turning the radio to static. 

They both close their eyes before there they are. They look around, spotting the car. They look to each other before walking closer. Ell peers inside shrugging. Further on they see Billy, Ell informs Max

"We found him"

"What's he doing?" Max tilts her head waiting for an answer. 

"I don't know...." Ell trails off, and Z remains silent. They walk closer.  
Ell continues, "he's on the floor, talking to someone". Again they walk closer. The two girls hear struggling noises, looking to each other as Billy stands. He turns around, looking straight at them. He seems to be able to tell they're there, and he disappears, turning into mist. The two girls gasp, Z following, being pulled out as Ell leaves. They both gasp again, giving each other concerned glances. 

"What is it? What happened?" Max asks quickly, seeming concerned at their reaction. Z can't speak, unable to say the words that where going through her head out loud. 

~~

It's now rainy outside, and we're with Will, Lucas and Mike. Will is dressed in his outfit, talking to the other two, confusing them both. It seems will 

Hopper is in the shower, and we follow him out. There's a message on the fridge from Ell and Z, saying they went to Max's. He was to hung over to be annoyed or concerned. Suddenly, there's a knock at the door.

"Hopper, are you there?" It's Joyce. Hopper opens the door, still dressed in a towel

"Oh, look who it is", though Joyce doesn't say anything to that, walking past Hopper into the house. 

"We need to talk", Joyce's voice is frantic. 

"Yeah we do", Hopper replies, and we all know where this is going. He slams the door, walking closer as he throws his shirt on.   
"I haven't been stood up like that since Alice Gilbert in the ninth grade". 

Joyce empties a bag of magnets onto the floor, Hopper narrowing her eyes at her in a confused manner.  
"What are you doing? Joyce? Hello?" Joyce looks up to him, holding up a hand to stop him

"Just watch", with that, she picks up a magnet, trying to stick it to the fridge. It doesn't stick, sliding off. She tries again with the same result, looking to Hopper. He gives her this look like she was crazy. 

"Ok, you're freaking me out". 

Joyce stands, walking to him holding up a magnet.  
"You slipped on this, remember?"

"Yeah"

"Yeah"

"It fell in the night, it lost its magnetism" Joyce explains, turning around. Hopper then sits down on a bench. 

"No kidding". 

"And the same exact thing happened at my house the day before", the woman continues. 

"Huh", Hopper rubs his beard, clearly unsure of why he was getting told this.

"And I though thats weird right? Why are all these magnets suddenly losing their magmatism. So, I went and saw Scott". Hopper looks at her,

"Scott? Who's Scott?"

"Scott Clark", Joyce replies, unsure of why it mattered.

"Your childs science teacher?" 

"He's pretty brilliant actually", Joyce begins to get defensive.   
"And I ask them how is this happening, and he built this magnetic field using an ac transformer and plugging it into a soulanoid (how do you spell it?) And with that soulanoid-" Hopper stops her there.

"Stop stop", he stands walking towards her  
"Slow down slow down. I just wanna get this exactly right, alright? You stand me up", he holds up a finger. "No phone call, no apologies, because you had to go to Scott Clark's house", he moves his hands in a placement matter to see if he was getting this right. Joyce groans, this isn't what she wanted him to get from this. 

"Yeah" Joyce says simply. Hopper scoffs

"Wow, you've outdone yourself", Hooper shakes his head in disbelief.   
Joyce goes to say something but he walks backwards, turning around and shaking his head.   
"You have, you really have". He walks off, but Joyce follows. 

"Oh come on Hopps, you're bot even listening to me. Scott was able to unmagnatize those magnets ah he thinks-" Hopper interrupts, turning away

"I don't care what Scott thinks!" Though even with this, Joyce continues. 

"He thinks that a large scale magnetic field could be built using some type of machine or technology-", again Hopper interrupts.

"That's brilliant, really", he shakes his head and turns and walks to his room.

"What if it's them? To build a machine like this you need resources. You need money and you need scientists", she pauses before she adds, "and what about 7? It can't be a coincidence Hopper, it has to be them".

"Joyce", his voice is stern.   
"Stop".

"It has to be them Hopper. It has to be the lab". He walks up to her, looking down.

"It is impossible"

"Then prove it to me!"

"Prove it?"

"Yeah! Take me back there"

"To the lab?"

"Yeah, I wanna go back!"

"Because some magnets fell of your fridge".

"Yes", she says finally, sternly, she wasn't going to give up. 

"Ok makes sense"

Joyce sighs in relief  
"Thankyou". 

"Ok makes sense", he lifts his wrist up like he was checking the time.   
"I'm a little busy right now, but maybe we can meet up there tonight, Luke seven o'clock". He walks into his room, Joyce groaning as she shakes her head, following, stopping at the doorway. 

"You know, unless of course something comes up. Which it will, it will", Hopper scoffs, closing the curtain to his room as he's getting dressed. He keeps talking, and when he finishes her waits for a reply, but receivea none. And when he hears a bang in his shed, he rushes out. 

"What are you doing?!" Joyce was grabbing bolt cutters out of his shed. 

"If you won't take me I'll go myself", she calls, rushing past him. He pulls on his boots, stumbling behind her. He tries to stop her, but she doesn't listen. 

~~ 

Alright, now we're back with our three girls. They're walking to Billy's house. Z stayed quiet as the other two talked about what Ell and her saw near Billy. Though, when they reach the front door Z shakes her head, not following any further.

"I stay here", she's firm, and Max and Ell give each other confused glances before Max turns to Z 

"Alright, call if he comes", Z nods, biting her bottom lip. She stays there, near the front door, sitting infront of it. She waits as the two girls come across Heather's things, bloody. The older girl was getting a bad feeling, this wasn't right. 

Now we're with Nancy and Jonathan. Nancy's case was strong, no doubt about it. But for the assholes that run the paper, well they didn't see it. Probably becase they're assholes.   
Nancy shakes her head, running out of the meeting as Jonathan calls to her. Though she ignores it, running past him in embarrassment and rage. 

Now, we're back with four languages chick Robin, back at the ice cream parlour. Looks like Lucas's sister Erika is there to try samples again. She rings the bell over and over, but even though the older girl was sitting on the counter she couldn't hear due to the headphones she had on, listening to the recording of the evil Russian code. 

Finally, when she hears something, Robin looks up, sighing in annoyance when she sees the kid. She pulls her headphones off to around her neck and leans against the counter.

Erika smiles, finally ceasing the bell ringing.   
"I'd like to try the peanut butter chocolate swirl please". 

Robin shakes her head, a smile on her face  
"No, no more samples today". 

Erika huffs,  
"Why not?" 

"Because you're abusing our company policy".

"Where's the sailor man?" Erika looks around for Sailor man, better known to us as Steve.

Robin smirks, turning back around.   
"Sorry, he can't help you, he's busy". 

"Busy, busy with what?" Erika seems sceptical. Robin turns back round, that smirk of hers growing. 

"Spy craft". 

Right on cue, we see Steve peeking out from behind an indoor plant, he's looking around with binoculars. We hear Dustin as we continue to follow where Steve is looking,

"See anything?". 

"I guess I totally don't know what I'm looking for". 

Dustin sighs, shaking his head.   
"Someone with a duffle bag, wearing a coat, or something", the younger one explains. Steve nods, gasping. Dustin thinks he has seen something, but really Steve's just looking at some people he knew from high school. 

"Really dude?" Dustin says, shaking his head as he makes a 'tsk tsk' noise. Steve looks at him, giving him a "what?" face. 

"You have the perfect girl right in front of you". Steve looks at him confused. 

"Robin"

"No"

"Yes"

"No"

"Robin Robin Robin"

"No no no!" 

"Why not?" Dustin asks, looking to Steve waiting for a good answers. 

"Because she's not my type. She's- she's not even in the ball park for my type! She did drama, that's a bad look!" Steve exclaims, Dustin rolling his eyes. 

"Seriously? Isn't it about time you move on from highschool and date someone you actually like, instead of someone who'll make you popular. Like me and Suzie". Steve scoffs, seeming offended 

"Oh Suzie, right that Suzie. And let's wait, how'd you score that girl? With my advice! Thats how this works Henderson, I give you the advice and you follow through". He points from himself to Dustin.   
"Not the other way around, alright pea brain". He goes back to looking at people around the mall, and Dustin just looks at him.

We're in the Wheeler basement quickly, the three boys playing dungeons and dragons. Although only Will seemed to be taking it seriously, the other two not in it. The phone rings, both boys getting up to answer it. But it's not Ell.

Will asks to keep playing, and when they don't take it seriously Will gets upset, throwing his gown down and storming up and out to his bike. 

"It's a cool campaign, it's really cool. We're just not in the mood right now!" Mike tries to make it better, but when Will counters and Mike blows, his next apology doesn't work, Will riding off in the rain. 

~~

We're now outside the pool, the three girls running in, wearing raincoats. Z was terrified after what Ell and Max had showed her what they'd found. Z associated blood with bad things, really bad things. So this scares her, terrified her. And she freaked out, panicking. 

She began to cry, curling up on the concrete outside. It look a bit, but Ell and Max managed to calm her. The girl stood, wiping her eyes and nodding, following the two as she shrugs on her rain coat. 

So now, when they arrive at the pool, showing the two people in the office what they found. When they insist they want to return it, Z's breath hitches when they hear Heather didn't come in. 

So they take to the showers, bot showering of course. Ell duck tapes some goggles black, Z refusing her offer to come with this time. 

"What do you see?" Max asks, clutching Z's hand. 

"A door. A red door", Ell responds, walking closer to it. Z grips Max's hand harder. 

Ell keeps walking towards it, opening it. She sees a bath tub, and she walks through the door towards it. It's filled with ice, and Heather jumps out so she's sitting in it.

"Help me!" The woman screams before she's pulled back under, Ell unable to reach her.

She rips off the goggles, breathing heavily. This makes Z jump, trembling slightly. 

"Ell? What happened?" Max asks, though Ell doesn't answer, still breathing heavily. Z shakes her head, scared but doesn't let it show too much. 

~~

Hopper and Joyce, Hopper pulling his car up outside the old lab. We cue the scene where Joyce remembers where Bob died, following Hopper. 

~~

Dustin is still looking through those binoculars for "Evil Russians". What did those even look like. Though he spots a blonde man, black clothing withh a duffle bag. 

Steve and Dustin look to each other,  
"Evil Russian". They then follow him to the upper level. He places the bag down, opening it as he shrugs off his coat. It turns out he's just am exercise trainer for a woman's fitness class. The two boys both groan, looking to each other defeated. 

We flick back to Robin, sitting on the bench, drink in hand as she's reciting the code they've cracked. 

She's interrupted by a knock at the back door, sliding off the bench to open it. It's a supply delivery. Now this doesn't sound important, but it is. 

She seems to piece it all together, talking to herself as she jumps over the bench and runs out of the store. Dustin and Steve are walking back, giving her weird looks as she jumps up onto a raised platform. She recites the code again, looking around the mall, to different points and shops in the building. 

"Robin? What're you doing?" Steve asks, walking over with Dustin. The girl jumps down, a seemingly proud smile on her face. 

"I cracked it", she answers and the boys raise an eyebrow

"Cracked what?"

"I cracked the code". 

~~

At the newspaper Nancy is making Coffee, and she goes to open a cabinet above her, and when she does a plastic fake rat is stuck to the cabinet door. It makes Nancy jump, the men laughing as the. They'd obviously set it up.   
Nancy grabs the rat, opening the door to the dark room where Jonathan was developing photos.

He groans when the door is open, looking up   
"Come on!". Though Nancy pays no attention to Jonathan's annoyance, marching up to him. She wanted to get proof, of the weird crazy rats.

Although Jonathan disagrees, pointing out that is not a good idea or what the men in charge meant when they shot down the story. 

They argue over it, before Nancy wanting the keys to Jonathan's car. He holds them up, like he's about to hand them over before he stands, shoving them back into his pocket.   
"You're relentless you know?" That was his way of saying he'd do it.  
They both leave the darkroom, slamming the door behind themselves. 

Quickly back to Hopper and Joyce. They come across where it happened, where Ell closed the gate. It's covered in plaster now, like it was never there, like nothing ever happened.   
"It's finished, I watched them close it", Hopper says to the woman, as Joyce stares at it in disbelief. They talk a bit, and Hopper beings up Sarah, how he wanted to get away after it all happened, how he knows how Joyce feels. 

~~

We spot the boys, Mike and Will in the rain as they reach Will's house. They knock loudly, apologizing as they do so. But no one answers, Will isn't there. 

And now we find the boy in question himself, sitting in that cubby they had all made together. It was still bucketing down rain, the entrance sheet had been soaked hours ago. 

Will sat inside on the bed like seat as he flicks through an old comic. He sighs and throws it onto the floor. He looks around as thunder bangs outside. Different mementos bring back memories for him, a memory or the four playing d&d. A picture of him in his outfit bringing another memory of d&d. 

He keeps looking about, a picture if the boys from last year at Halloween in their ghost buster outfits.   
"Stupid", he picks up the picture before crying  
"So stupid", he tears up the picture and the comic.   
He then grabs a bat, a baseball bat and goes outside. He takes a step back before swinging the bat, wood meeting wood over and over as he continues to swing at the cubby house. 

He screams as he does so, the hut falling apart as he pulls it down. He eventually stops, falling to his knees as he cries, rain soaking him further. 

We're taken back to Nancy and Jonathan to the old lady's house. They look through the window at the front door. They knock, calling out. 

"Oh, she must not be home", Jonathan says looking back. 

"She's an eighty year old woman and it's pouring, where else would she be?" The girl asks, as she goes to knock again. Nancy then reaches for the door nob, and Jonathan looks at her

"Woah, what are you doing?"

"Maybe she fell or something", Nancy opens the door wider. She walks inside, calling out to the old lady. They walk around, not finding her in the main parts of the house. Though they spot the basement door open, and Nancy opens it further and looks down. She calls out again, no answer. They walk down, Nancy turning the lights on. 

More empty chewed open bags of fertilizer, the two look to each other before hearing noises, noises that sounded like strange animals. They look forward then to each other again, giving concerned looks. 

They walk towards the noise, walking around the corner. Jonathan looks horrified, Nancy confused. The old lady was eating fertilizer.   
"Mrs Driscal?" Nancy calls the lady's name again, making the woman look up at them with crazed eyes. 

Now we move to the mall, outside where its raining, a truck reversing as two armed men stand guard. On the top of a building next to where this is happening, we see our trio, Dustin, Steve and Robin. They're in rain coats, though it's not stopping them from getting soaked. Dustin has the binoculars, looking down at the men and truck. 

Someone unloads some boxes, the men opening a door to a storage room. The three discuss what might be in those boxes that needs to be so heavily guarded.   
"Whatever it is, they're armed to the teeth", Dustin states. As the doors open they get a better look.

"Hey, what's in there?" Robin asks

"It's just more boxes". Steve and Dustin fight over the binoculars, making a bang noises. They all drop down to hide behind the ledge, the guards readying their guns and look around. We keep watching them , the guards scanning the rooftops. 

Someone jumps out onto the rooftop the three where on, but no one can be seen up there. They'd managed to get back down into the hallways in the mall in time. 

"Well I think we've found our Russians", Robin says as they keep walking. 

~~

Back to Hopper, walking through hallways with his gun out. They'd hear a noise, Hopper telling Joyce to stay there. He bursts in somewhere. Seeing nothing. Though someone appears behind him, attacking him, he's unable to fight back. 

Joyce had decided to come after him, calling his name. She comes in in time to see someone on the road outside. It's someone on a motorcycle, riding away. 

We're now with Max, Ell, and Z, running in the rain to a house.   
"Is this it?" Max asks, Ell nodding. The three look to each other before going into the house. 

They hear laughing, and walk into the scene of Billy, and what appears to be Heather's parent's. Billy introduces his sister, Ell asking "where is she?"

Billy looks confused.   
"Where is who?" Before anyone speaks, we hear a girl talk. 

"I'm sorry, they're a little burnt. Then we see Heather, Billy holding an arm to show the three girls who is was.

"Heather", he points to Max.   
"This is my sister Maxine. And I didn't get your names", he looks to Ell ad Z, but only Ell answers.

"Ell". Its a simple answer from the girl, looking straight at Billy

"Ell. Now what is it you where saying? You where looking for somebody" Billy asks, not looking away from Ell. 

The three girls look to each other, then Ell and Z look to Heather, Max looking at Ell. 

"I- I saw you-" Max cuts her off

"Your manager at the pool. He said you didn't come into work today so we go worried". 

Billy answers for Heather   
"Heather wasn't feeling so hot today so we thought we'd take the day off nurture her back to health. But you're feeling just fine now aren't ya Heather?" He looks to Heather who answers. 

"I'm feeling so much better". Billy looks back to the three girls.   
"Do you girls want a cookie?" Heather offers, holding out the tray if cookies.   
"They're fresh out of the oven". 

The girls decline, exiting as Billy shows them out. They all knew that was weird.   
Billy watches them leave as they run off. 

He gets a vision, Ell closing the gate last year. 

~~

Will was still in the rain, but he feels it, the monster, the mind flayer. He holds a hand to the back of his neck where he can feel it. He stands, and looks around. Then all of a sudden we can hear people calling his name, and we can identify them as Mike and Lucas . They run up to him, asking him what happened and if he's ok. He turns his head to look at them

"He's back", Will speaks, turning his body to face them.

~~

We're with Heather, her parents and Billy again. Billy walks back from seeing the girls out.   
Heather's mum spills some wine, her dad commenting on it  
"You should slow down on that wine Janette". So we learn her name is Janette. 

"Yes Tom" Janette answers, and we learn his name is Tom. Heather asks her mother if she's ok. Janetteadmits she's light headed and goes to leave, but faints. Tom goes to help his wife, but Heather hits him with a wine bottle, before knocking him out with something on a cloth. He screams into it, eyes wide. What in the world? This can't be good.


	5. Sauna test and trust test

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I know, I havent uodated in a few months. Having to copy the show and all means re watching and pausing!
> 
> But nonethless I'm back and asking an important question: do you guys want me to cut down on some of the smaller parts and focus on Z?
> 
> Reason im asking is because I feel like shes a very important character and some of the other things may not be as interesting. So please let me know if you want this in the comments!

We're back, and we see the three girls. Ell is freaking out, which is fair enough. Max is trying to calm the girl, and well, Z is zoned out in the corner, thinking to herself. The two read comics, Z still thinking to herself. 

And were with Nancy and Jonathan, the old lady screaming as she's driven off in an ambulance. This is weird, thats not right. 

Quickly to Heather's parents, Heather and Billy have them tied up. Her parents are tying to talk Heather out of whatever this is, but we all know that's not going to work.   
Billy and Heather leave, before the monster approaches them, the squelching and gargling noises echoing aroud the metal room.   
We get our first good look at it, fleshy and dripping as it latches one of it's tentacle like arms onto the two adults faces. 

~~

We're brought to now Hopper, laying on his couch slowly beginning to wake. His vision is blurred and hearing fuzzy before he throws up. Joyce quickly hands him some pain medication and water.   
Hopper stands, still naked and walks outside. His clothes are soaked. 

They begin to discuss the attacker. Joyce somehow managed to get part of the number plate, 

We're now to Max and Ell again, laying in bed. Z looks up as the phone begins to ring. She tilts her head, looking from Ell to Max. 

They try Dustin but he's still up on that damn building.   
He reports back to Steve and Robin, trying to figure out a way into the room.  
Steve suggests that he try to knock the man out and grab his key card, although he seems to forget about the huge gun, which Dustin quickly reminds him of.

Although suddenly Robin stands, grabbing cash before running out. She doesn't give much of an idea of what she's doing, leaving Dustin and Steve to watch in confusion as she continues to run off. 

Nancy and Jonathan, back at the newsplace. They're immediately told off by their boss, and unfortunately get fired. But there is no way that the woman was just a 'paranoid schizophrenic' as their boss put it. There's definitely more to it. 

We get a glimpse of the three girls jogging to Mike's house before we're taken into the house   
They listen to Will talk about the feeling he's had, how he cam sense it. Even though this is important, everyone is distracted by Z.  
"I closed the gate", Ell says, seeming sure she got him gone for good  
"I know but what if he's still here. What if we locked him here with us". 

Lukas shakes his head  
"Well this is all well and good, does anyone wish to tell us who SHE is?" He asks, pointing to Z. The girl simply smirks before Max answers for her. 

"This is Z. She's like Ell", Mike immediately looks Z up and down before looking to Ell

"Really?" He asks and Ell nods

"Yes. She can read thoughts and change memories. And boost someone's powers and she can either take someone with her or go with me when I look for people", Ell answers and Lucas, Will and Mike all look to each other. They didn't seem to know what to say, or what to do. 

That makes Z giggle, rolling her eyes at the boys.   
"I'll show", she says before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. After a few seconds she opens her eyes.   
She points to Lucas   
"All you think is about this is Holy Fuck", this makes Lucas huff and Max and Ell roll their eyes. 

"Really Lucas?" Max hits him over the head and Z giggles, the rest also laughing. 

"Anyway, can we move on now?" Will asks, and Z nods, desperately wanting to hear what the boy has to say. 

He slams a piece of paper down onto the table and begins to draw.   
"This is him, all of him. But that day of the feild a part of him attached himself to me. My mum got that part out of me when Ell closed the gate, but what if part of it is still in our world", he finishes, and Max looks up at him shaking her head. 

"I don't understand, the demidogs died when Ell closed the gate, if the brain dies the body dies". 

"We can't take any chances, we need to assume the worst. The mindflayer's back" will says and looks to Ell.

"And if he is he'll want to attach himself to someone again. A new me" Will adds. 

"A new host", Lucas says and Max looks to Ell who looks to Ell. Z was just nodding, seeming to understand what was going on.

"How do we know if someone is a host?" Ell asks.

~~

Hopper and Joyce walk into the Mayor's building, Joyce waiting outside as Hopper barges into the office. Hopper begins to list off the description of the man who attacked him. The mayor, Larry, laughs, joking about a maintenance man.   
Hopper brings up the occasions he's found Larry with something, or someone, he's not supposed to have. It backfired, Larry bringing up the pills Hopper used to take and how he used to drink on the job. As he's about to walk out Hopper grabs him, slamming him onto the desk. 

His nose bleeds, and Hopper slams him against the door. He slams him against the door again and pushes one of Larry's fingers into the cigar cutter on the desk. He begins to press down cutting into the mayors finger and he begins to tell information, things about money and land.

He then pushes Larry against the door and asks about records of land purchases. Hopper takes Larry out, Joyce shocked but follows behind making sure the lady at the desk didn't call anyone. 

Jonathan and Nancy in the car. Nancy was complaining and Jonathan gets up her, telling her about how she lives in a perfect little bubble. They keep fighting back and forth before they both go silent for the rest of the ride. 

Aaand we're back to Robin and Steve and Dustin. The girl managed to get blueprints. Though who was going to fit into an air duct? Dustin tries to fit in before Steve tries to push him in. This was rather amusing, really. I feel sorry for anyone that walk in on that scene. 

The main group, Will, Mike, Lucas, Max, Ell and Z.   
They're watching Billy at the pool, it's kinda weird but eh, fair enough. They talk about how it's really not that weird before Will points out that the Mindflayer only came out when he needs you.   
Mike is about to go in, and Z shakes her head.   
"Wait", Ell says

"I have an Idea, boys only. Just trust me on this one!" He calls. Ell, Max and Z sigh, looking to each other.

"Seriously" Max sighs

Mike then steps into the males change room and then to the sauna. He steps through the plan he has. 

~~

They have Erika, Steve Robin and Dustin. They're trying to get Erika to help then, but she's being difficult. Though somehow, with a damn miracle she somehow agrees, as long as she's allowed free icecream for life. 

Joyce, Hopper, pushing Larry around his house, calling for the deeds and papers. Larry has a real im-fucking-pressive house as well, by the way. Hopper seems to be enjoying himself, his snide smart ass comments. 

Larry didn't seem very helpful, but Joyce was on the ball, maping out the land hawkins corp was buying up. Larry tries to escape out the window, hopper stopping him. 

Mrs Wheeler is knocking on Nancy's door, Nancy not answering. When she finally does her hair is a mess and her eyes wet and puffy. She talks to her mum about Jonathan, about what she feels. Her mother seems rather sympathetic, seeming to relate to Nancy's issues with her own experiences. She keeps talking Nancy up, trying to pump her up. This is sweet, really. They're loved, and Nancy is loved. 

~~

Back at the pool, Billy still covered in that ridiculous outfit, so he doesn't keep sizzling.  
Will and Lucas sneak into what seems to be the supply shed, grabbing different things such as tape and bars and chains. 

Ell, followed by the curious, slightly, or should I say very nervous Z. 

"Help me with this", Ell asks, and Z takes the training dummy from the younger girls.

"Hey, I found the breakers", It's Mike who says it, jogging through the door of the supply closet. Ell rolls her eyes, turning to face Mike with an unimpressed look. 

"Woah, that thing is super creepy", Mike takes the dummy from Z, who shrugs before standing closer to Ell. Mike messes about with the dummy, making voices. Z raises an eyebrow in a "really?" manner. Ell doesn't seem to think it's funny, giving him a blank expression. The younger girl grabs the dummy, taking it off of Mike and is about to leave

"Ell!" Mike tries to call after her, causing the two girls to stop, turning to him. 

"I just wanted to say, you know when I said Nana was sick, she wasn't. I lied"

Ell shakes her head slightly, "I know" she and Z then go to leave

"Right right right. I just think it was important for you to know the context. Hopper went crazy on me, telling me I was spending too much time with you. He made me lie, you're the most important thing to me in the world", Mike starts, and Ell drops the dummy, stepping closer

"What if he was right", Ell counters, and Z smirks slightly. She liked this girl, smart, intelligent. Not willing to take what Mike had to say. When she was back in the labs, it was men, all men. Z knew how that felt, being touched every day, tested every day. Men were ridiculous really. 

"No no no! He's just a cranky old man who hates joy", Mike tries to say

"But if I only see you and I'm a different species than you than I should be with my species more", Z shakes her head, sighing as she follows Ell out of the room, shaking her head at Mike. He wasn't doing a good job at this whole thing at all. Even if Z herself didn't know much about relationships, she knew that girls seemed far better at it. It seemed to her like Mike was simply trying to take Ell away from others, like Max. Max seemed to like Ell, cared about her far more than Mike did. 

"Did you spy on me?! That's totally against the rules!" 

"I make my own rules", is the last Ell said before leaving completely. 

Once gone Max contacts Mike on the radio, seeming concerned on their whereabouts. She was more worried about Ell, and Z for that matter, than the boys. Max sighs, watching Billy. 

~~

Aaaaaannd of course, were back with the trio, this time having finally convinced Erika to climb through the vents

"Time for operation child endangerment", Erika speaks through the walkie talkie, and Robin sighs

"Can we please not call it that"

"Whatever nerds, see you on the other side" Erika climbs through, crawling through the small air vents. 

Larry, who is now handcuffed to the bed head, yelling at his wife who is now home. You know, maybe if he was a better mayor this wouldn't have happened, but then again you win some, you lose some. 

Hopper's car, driving up to one of the properties that has been bought by Hawkins corp. Joyce is with him, and they bust into the house. It doesn't seem like anyone has been there in a while, dirt and dust covering the place. Hopper crosses of this location as they drive off. 

Erika reaches the air vent the the room, the one they're trying to reach

"Any boobytraps?" Robin asks through the speak, pursing her lips at the answer she got

"They'd be pretty shit traps if I could see them, wouldn't they". With that, she kicks down the vest with a yell, throwing her bag through and jumping in. She opens the doors. 

"Free icecream, for life", she points to the three on top of the building. 

Billy, in the shower. He pulls his pants on as he hears a noise

"Pools closed", but the noise continues

"Hey! Did you hear me!" He walks of out the locker room, still shirtless, towards the noise. The door is stuck shut, and the lights begin to turn off. 

"Who's that? Who's there?" He calls, walking back down as he hears noises. He watches a door close, walking into the room the sauna is held. He sees a shadow in the sauna window, "gotcha". He walks towards and into the sauna, and grabs what appears to be a dummy stuck up on it's feet. 

"Found you", a walkie talkie on the dummy speaks, and he turns around, which reveals Ell standing opposite him. Behind her stood Z, a massive smirk plastered across her face. She gives a teasing wave before Ell throws Billy across the sauna with ease. Z backs up, screwing her eyes shut and balling her fists as she begins to push her power to Ell, trying to increase the other girls strength. Then Mike, Will, Lucas and Max rush in with a yell of "now!".

Ell flings the door closed, Lucas threading the pole through and Mike pulling the chain through, locking it. 

Billy then looks directly at Max, and says her name. Her eyes are filled with sorrow, and in that moment Ell's heart shatters. She knew what it was like, when she first arrived here she had to help get Will back. But Z feels the emotions coming off of her, smiling slightly at the empathy off of Ell and sadly with the hurt coming from Max. Though she didn't stop, still feeding her power to Ell. 

She knew how this went. Her training and testing always had this involved. And it hurt, it was absolutely exaughsting. Her own power was hard enough to use, and feeding that energy to someone else took imense strength and willpower. So she keeps it up, not moving until she's told to. 

"Do it", Max finally speaks and Will runs for the temperature nob, turning it up to full heat. 

~~

Nancy is trying to find Mrs Driscoll. She finds her in a room, and the lady starts to stir. Nancy looks up. 

Steve, Dustin, Robin and Erika in the room, cutting open boxes. What they find is really fucking on. A weird chilled container holding smaller cylindrical object things. Steve tries to get Dustin to step back with the other two, Dustin telling him that "if you die, I die". 

Steve just shrugs, "ok", before pulling one of the small compartments out, revealing a green goopy liquid container in it. 

"What is that?" It's Robin that asks, but before they get an answer the room begins to move. Robin grabs the canaster before waiting for Dustin to open the door, before getting yelled at for not opening it. Steve pushes them out of the way, deciding to do it himself, Dustin trying to help. Parts around them move, before they're falling downward.

Mrs Driscoll keels stirring, her moniters beginning to beep, her heart rate raising. Nancy watches, taking a shuffle slightly back. 

Ell, and group watches as Billy slams at the small window of the sauna, Max wincing slightly. Billy keeps talking, threating them as he bashes the door. Max was getting worried, even if he was a complete asshole of a brother. Ell gives her another sympathetic look, Max giving a weak smile in return. Mike narrows his eyes at this, since when was this a thing they did? That was his job, to look sympathetic. 

Billy is on the floor, Max walking towards the door. He's trying to convince her to let him out, he seems to be slightly back to himself now, he's crying now, Max sniffling slightly, putting her hand up to the glass. 

"It'll be ok, it'll be ok. We just want to help you, it'll be ok", Will reaches to his neck, feeling the presence of the mind flayer. 

Max jumps away at a shout from Mike, Billy slamming a broken peice of tile through the window. He tries to reach for Max, them the door, yelling at her. The tears in Max's eyes fall down her cheeks, and the screaming makes Z jump out of her trance, running over and pulling Max away. She didn't deserve this, Max was a good person. Typical cliche smart ass jumpsuit type of teenage girl for the time, she didn't deserve this. Lucas finally steps up, shooting a rock at Billy's head, letting him fall to the floor. 

"Come on!" Lucas yells, Z pulling Max away from the door even more. Billy stands, being taken over by the mindflayer. 

At the same time Mrs Driscoll is doing the same, veins of black taking her over as she screams. 

Billy pushes again the door, ramming against it over and over. Ell pushes everyone behind her, her arms held out to push them behind her protectively. Z gives the smallest smile at that, holding Max in her arms tight. She could feel how scared she was, how hurt and upset. 

With a final push Billy slams through the door, and with Max in her arms Z scrunched her eyes shut yet again, along with her fists. No one else sees this, apart from Max who notices the balled fists. 

Ell screams, pulling up a weight with immense power and throwing it towards Billy. She was suprised, it felt like nothing. Normally that sort of thing still took some sort of power, strength. But this time it felt like nothing. She looks to her hands, then back to the group. Z opens her eyes, catching a quick glance before re-focusing. 

Ell is pinning Billy to the wall by his neck with the weight, growling and panting as she keeps pushing, the weight cracking into the bricks. Billy pushes back, throwing Ell back and making Z stumble a little, but her grasp remains with Max. The orange haired girl clenches her jaw as she watches her friend get grabbed by the hair. Billy clasps his hand around her throat, choking her. And that's when both Max and Z have had enough.

Z loosens her grasp on Max, letting her go as she runs forward. She pushes out her power, pushing Billy back with a pulse of the power she had, Max finishing it off by kicking him over. Mike, who was about to hit him with a pole, stands there, shocked. 

Billy was about to go after Mike, but Z was grabbing Ell's hand before he could do anything, both girls eyes screwed shut as Ell lifts Billy off of the ground. Max watches on, concern the only thing that could be seen in her eyes, said eyes trained on the two girls, especially the one lifting this man off of the ground in front of her. With a final blow, Z falling towards the ground, Ell throws him through the wall. Ell falls into Z's arms, the girl panting as Max helps the both of them up. Billy runs for it, Ell standing to watch him flee, as Z leans against Max, exaughsted. 

"The girl, was it her?" It was heathers voice as we get a view of the bright moon. 

"Yeah, it was. She knows. And there was another one", is Billy's voice with an answer. 

"What? What do you mean?" Billy stops Heathers hand from helping his scar.

~~

"Hey, Z, hello? You ok?" The older female woke up, groaning as she looks about. It was Max who was calling to her, standing above her. Ell was sitting on another chair in the corner, holdinga tissueto her nose to clean the blood. 

"Hnng", she groans, sitting up as she looks around. Max smiles slightly, moving to sit next to her, and Ell gives a smile. 

"It was you, yes?" Ell asks, and Z tilts her head, not understanding exactly what Ell was talking about. 

"When I threw him, did you help?" Z can't stop the smile that spreads across her face. 

She nods, "yes, it was". Max squeals, and Ell smiles before the both of them think the same thing. Why did she pass out?

"Why'd you collapse?" Max asks it, and Ell nods to indicate she also wants to know. 

Z takes a deep breath. She had a feeling they at nit be happy she didn't tell them this earlier. Though she was used to this question, got asked it many times in the lab. So she knew exactly how to answer. 

"I used all my energy to help, so it drained me of my energy. Which tries me", it was the same answer she'd given multiple times before. Ell frowns, about to speak before Z asks a question. 

"Where are we?" Her voice shows she's getting scared, about to push herself up and run. But Max stops her, grabbing a hold of her arm. 

"Mike's place", it's a simple answer, but allows the girl to relax slightly. She had a headache, and places a hand to her forehead and groans again. 

"Here", Ell holds out a bottle of water, and two small tablets to the girl. Z gulps, taking the small white tablets cautiously. She was used to all her pills making her sleepy, restraining her power. But she trusted these girls, so she took them, swallowing with a mouthful of water. 

"Come on", Max reaches a hand out to Z as she stands up, and Z takes it.   
"Lets go", Z nods, walking towards the stairs leading up to the ground level of the house. The boys must have let them have the basement, nice of them. 

As Z walks up the stairs, Max and Ell give each other a smile, and Z can feel the slight shyness of the two before they follow her up. Mike was waiting at the top, going to speak with Ell. Ell simply holds up a hand, Max giving her a proud smile before she's leading them out, Lucas and Will simply watching them, dumbfounded. Z simply smirks more at their faces before she closes the door, jogging to catch up to the two younger girls. This was more fun than she'd ever imagine having out of the lab, even if it was the side effect of fighting an evil being.


	6. Sauna test and trust test

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I know, I havent uodated in a few months. Having to copy the show and all means re watching and pausing!
> 
> But nonethless I'm back and asking an important question: do you guys want me to cut down on some of the smaller parts and focus on Z?
> 
> Reason im asking is because I feel like shes a very important character and some of the other things may not be as interesting. So please let me know if you want this in the comments!

We're back, and we see the three girls. Ell is freaking out, which is fair enough. Max is trying to calm the girl, and well, Z is zoned out in the corner, thinking to herself. The two read comics, Z still thinking to herself. 

And were with Nancy and Jonathan, the old lady screaming as she's driven off in an ambulance. This is weird, thats not right. 

Quickly to Heather's parents, Heather and Billy have them tied up. Her parents are tying to talk Heather out of whatever this is, but we all know that's not going to work.   
Billy and Heather leave, before the monster approaches them, the squelching and gargling noises echoing aroud the metal room.   
We get our first good look at it, fleshy and dripping as it latches one of it's tentacle like arms onto the two adults faces. 

~~

We're brought to now Hopper, laying on his couch slowly beginning to wake. His vision is blurred and hearing fuzzy before he throws up. Joyce quickly hands him some pain medication and water.   
Hopper stands, still naked and walks outside. His clothes are soaked. 

They begin to discuss the attacker. Joyce somehow managed to get part of the number plate, 

We're now to Max and Ell again, laying in bed. Z looks up as the phone begins to ring. She tilts her head, looking from Ell to Max. 

They try Dustin but he's still up on that damn building.   
He reports back to Steve and Robin, trying to figure out a way into the room.  
Steve suggests that he try to knock the man out and grab his key card, although he seems to forget about the huge gun, which Dustin quickly reminds him of.

Although suddenly Robin stands, grabbing cash before running out. She doesn't give much of an idea of what she's doing, leaving Dustin and Steve to watch in confusion as she continues to run off. 

Nancy and Jonathan, back at the newsplace. They're immediately told off by their boss, and unfortunately get fired. But there is no way that the woman was just a 'paranoid schizophrenic' as their boss put it. There's definitely more to it. 

We get a glimpse of the three girls jogging to Mike's house before we're taken into the house   
They listen to Will talk about the feeling he's had, how he cam sense it. Even though this is important, everyone is distracted by Z.  
"I closed the gate", Ell says, seeming sure she got him gone for good  
"I know but what if he's still here. What if we locked him here with us". 

Lukas shakes his head  
"Well this is all well and good, does anyone wish to tell us who SHE is?" He asks, pointing to Z. The girl simply smirks before Max answers for her. 

"This is Z. She's like Ell", Mike immediately looks Z up and down before looking to Ell

"Really?" He asks and Ell nods

"Yes. She can read thoughts and change memories. And boost someone's powers and she can either take someone with her or go with me when I look for people", Ell answers and Lucas, Will and Mike all look to each other. They didn't seem to know what to say, or what to do. 

That makes Z giggle, rolling her eyes at the boys.   
"I'll show", she says before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. After a few seconds she opens her eyes.   
She points to Lucas   
"All you think is about this is Holy Fuck", this makes Lucas huff and Max and Ell roll their eyes. 

"Really Lucas?" Max hits him over the head and Z giggles, the rest also laughing. 

"Anyway, can we move on now?" Will asks, and Z nods, desperately wanting to hear what the boy has to say. 

He slams a piece of paper down onto the table and begins to draw.   
"This is him, all of him. But that day of the feild a part of him attached himself to me. My mum got that part out of me when Ell closed the gate, but what if part of it is still in our world", he finishes, and Max looks up at him shaking her head. 

"I don't understand, the demidogs died when Ell closed the gate, if the brain dies the body dies". 

"We can't take any chances, we need to assume the worst. The mindflayer's back" will says and looks to Ell.

"And if he is he'll want to attach himself to someone again. A new me" Will adds. 

"A new host", Lucas says and Max looks to Ell who looks to Ell. Z was just nodding, seeming to understand what was going on.

"How do we know if someone is a host?" Ell asks.

~~

Hopper and Joyce walk into the Mayor's building, Joyce waiting outside as Hopper barges into the office. Hopper begins to list off the description of the man who attacked him. The mayor, Larry, laughs, joking about a maintenance man.   
Hopper brings up the occasions he's found Larry with something, or someone, he's not supposed to have. It backfired, Larry bringing up the pills Hopper used to take and how he used to drink on the job. As he's about to walk out Hopper grabs him, slamming him onto the desk. 

His nose bleeds, and Hopper slams him against the door. He slams him against the door again and pushes one of Larry's fingers into the cigar cutter on the desk. He begins to press down cutting into the mayors finger and he begins to tell information, things about money and land.

He then pushes Larry against the door and asks about records of land purchases. Hopper takes Larry out, Joyce shocked but follows behind making sure the lady at the desk didn't call anyone. 

Jonathan and Nancy in the car. Nancy was complaining and Jonathan gets up her, telling her about how she lives in a perfect little bubble. They keep fighting back and forth before they both go silent for the rest of the ride. 

Aaand we're back to Robin and Steve and Dustin. The girl managed to get blueprints. Though who was going to fit into an air duct? Dustin tries to fit in before Steve tries to push him in. This was rather amusing, really. I feel sorry for anyone that walk in on that scene. 

The main group, Will, Mike, Lucas, Max, Ell and Z.   
They're watching Billy at the pool, it's kinda weird but eh, fair enough. They talk about how it's really not that weird before Will points out that the Mindflayer only came out when he needs you.   
Mike is about to go in, and Z shakes her head.   
"Wait", Ell says

"I have an Idea, boys only. Just trust me on this one!" He calls. Ell, Max and Z sigh, looking to each other.

"Seriously" Max sighs

Mike then steps into the males change room and then to the sauna. He steps through the plan he has. 

~~

They have Erika, Steve Robin and Dustin. They're trying to get Erika to help then, but she's being difficult. Though somehow, with a damn miracle she somehow agrees, as long as she's allowed free icecream for life. 

Joyce, Hopper, pushing Larry around his house, calling for the deeds and papers. Larry has a real im-fucking-pressive house as well, by the way. Hopper seems to be enjoying himself, his snide smart ass comments. 

Larry didn't seem very helpful, but Joyce was on the ball, maping out the land hawkins corp was buying up. Larry tries to escape out the window, hopper stopping him. 

Mrs Wheeler is knocking on Nancy's door, Nancy not answering. When she finally does her hair is a mess and her eyes wet and puffy. She talks to her mum about Jonathan, about what she feels. Her mother seems rather sympathetic, seeming to relate to Nancy's issues with her own experiences. She keeps talking Nancy up, trying to pump her up. This is sweet, really. They're loved, and Nancy is loved. 

~~

Back at the pool, Billy still covered in that ridiculous outfit, so he doesn't keep sizzling.  
Will and Lucas sneak into what seems to be the supply shed, grabbing different things such as tape and bars and chains. 

Ell, followed by the curious, slightly, or should I say very nervous Z. 

"Help me with this", Ell asks, and Z takes the training dummy from the younger girls.

"Hey, I found the breakers", It's Mike who says it, jogging through the door of the supply closet. Ell rolls her eyes, turning to face Mike with an unimpressed look. 

"Woah, that thing is super creepy", Mike takes the dummy from Z, who shrugs before standing closer to Ell. Mike messes about with the dummy, making voices. Z raises an eyebrow in a "really?" manner. Ell doesn't seem to think it's funny, giving him a blank expression. The younger girl grabs the dummy, taking it off of Mike and is about to leave

"Ell!" Mike tries to call after her, causing the two girls to stop, turning to him. 

"I just wanted to say, you know when I said Nana was sick, she wasn't. I lied"

Ell shakes her head slightly, "I know" she and Z then go to leave

"Right right right. I just think it was important for you to know the context. Hopper went crazy on me, telling me I was spending too much time with you. He made me lie, you're the most important thing to me in the world", Mike starts, and Ell drops the dummy, stepping closer

"What if he was right", Ell counters, and Z smirks slightly. She liked this girl, smart, intelligent. Not willing to take what Mike had to say. When she was back in the labs, it was men, all men. Z knew how that felt, being touched every day, tested every day. Men were ridiculous really. 

"No no no! He's just a cranky old man who hates joy", Mike tries to say

"But if I only see you and I'm a different species than you than I should be with my species more", Z shakes her head, sighing as she follows Ell out of the room, shaking her head at Mike. He wasn't doing a good job at this whole thing at all. Even if Z herself didn't know much about relationships, she knew that girls seemed far better at it. It seemed to her like Mike was simply trying to take Ell away from others, like Max. Max seemed to like Ell, cared about her far more than Mike did. 

"Did you spy on me?! That's totally against the rules!" 

"I make my own rules", is the last Ell said before leaving completely. 

Once gone Max contacts Mike on the radio, seeming concerned on their whereabouts. She was more worried about Ell, and Z for that matter, than the boys. Max sighs, watching Billy. 

~~

Aaaaaannd of course, were back with the trio, this time having finally convinced Erika to climb through the vents

"Time for operation child endangerment", Erika speaks through the walkie talkie, and Robin sighs

"Can we please not call it that"

"Whatever nerds, see you on the other side" Erika climbs through, crawling through the small air vents. 

Larry, who is now handcuffed to the bed head, yelling at his wife who is now home. You know, maybe if he was a better mayor this wouldn't have happened, but then again you win some, you lose some. 

Hopper's car, driving up to one of the properties that has been bought by Hawkins corp. Joyce is with him, and they bust into the house. It doesn't seem like anyone has been there in a while, dirt and dust covering the place. Hopper crosses of this location as they drive off. 

Erika reaches the air vent the the room, the one they're trying to reach

"Any boobytraps?" Robin asks through the speak, pursing her lips at the answer she got

"They'd be pretty shit traps if I could see them, wouldn't they". With that, she kicks down the vest with a yell, throwing her bag through and jumping in. She opens the doors. 

"Free icecream, for life", she points to the three on top of the building. 

Billy, in the shower. He pulls his pants on as he hears a noise

"Pools closed", but the noise continues

"Hey! Did you hear me!" He walks of out the locker room, still shirtless, towards the noise. The door is stuck shut, and the lights begin to turn off. 

"Who's that? Who's there?" He calls, walking back down as he hears noises. He watches a door close, walking into the room the sauna is held. He sees a shadow in the sauna window, "gotcha". He walks towards and into the sauna, and grabs what appears to be a dummy stuck up on it's feet. 

"Found you", a walkie talkie on the dummy speaks, and he turns around, which reveals Ell standing opposite him. Behind her stood Z, a massive smirk plastered across her face. She gives a teasing wave before Ell throws Billy across the sauna with ease. Z backs up, screwing her eyes shut and balling her fists as she begins to push her power to Ell, trying to increase the other girls strength. Then Mike, Will, Lucas and Max rush in with a yell of "now!".

Ell flings the door closed, Lucas threading the pole through and Mike pulling the chain through, locking it. 

Billy then looks directly at Max, and says her name. Her eyes are filled with sorrow, and in that moment Ell's heart shatters. She knew what it was like, when she first arrived here she had to help get Will back. But Z feels the emotions coming off of her, smiling slightly at the empathy off of Ell and sadly with the hurt coming from Max. Though she didn't stop, still feeding her power to Ell. 

She knew how this went. Her training and testing always had this involved. And it hurt, it was absolutely exaughsting. Her own power was hard enough to use, and feeding that energy to someone else took imense strength and willpower. So she keeps it up, not moving until she's told to. 

"Do it", Max finally speaks and Will runs for the temperature nob, turning it up to full heat. 

~~

Nancy is trying to find Mrs Driscoll. She finds her in a room, and the lady starts to stir. Nancy looks up. 

Steve, Dustin, Robin and Erika in the room, cutting open boxes. What they find is really fucking on. A weird chilled container holding smaller cylindrical object things. Steve tries to get Dustin to step back with the other two, Dustin telling him that "if you die, I die". 

Steve just shrugs, "ok", before pulling one of the small compartments out, revealing a green goopy liquid container in it. 

"What is that?" It's Robin that asks, but before they get an answer the room begins to move. Robin grabs the canaster before waiting for Dustin to open the door, before getting yelled at for not opening it. Steve pushes them out of the way, deciding to do it himself, Dustin trying to help. Parts around them move, before they're falling downward.

Mrs Driscoll keels stirring, her moniters beginning to beep, her heart rate raising. Nancy watches, taking a shuffle slightly back. 

Ell, and group watches as Billy slams at the small window of the sauna, Max wincing slightly. Billy keeps talking, threating them as he bashes the door. Max was getting worried, even if he was a complete asshole of a brother. Ell gives her another sympathetic look, Max giving a weak smile in return. Mike narrows his eyes at this, since when was this a thing they did? That was his job, to look sympathetic. 

Billy is on the floor, Max walking towards the door. He's trying to convince her to let him out, he seems to be slightly back to himself now, he's crying now, Max sniffling slightly, putting her hand up to the glass. 

"It'll be ok, it'll be ok. We just want to help you, it'll be ok", Will reaches to his neck, feeling the presence of the mind flayer. 

Max jumps away at a shout from Mike, Billy slamming a broken peice of tile through the window. He tries to reach for Max, them the door, yelling at her. The tears in Max's eyes fall down her cheeks, and the screaming makes Z jump out of her trance, running over and pulling Max away. She didn't deserve this, Max was a good person. Typical cliche smart ass jumpsuit type of teenage girl for the time, she didn't deserve this. Lucas finally steps up, shooting a rock at Billy's head, letting him fall to the floor. 

"Come on!" Lucas yells, Z pulling Max away from the door even more. Billy stands, being taken over by the mindflayer. 

At the same time Mrs Driscoll is doing the same, veins of black taking her over as she screams. 

Billy pushes again the door, ramming against it over and over. Ell pushes everyone behind her, her arms held out to push them behind her protectively. Z gives the smallest smile at that, holding Max in her arms tight. She could feel how scared she was, how hurt and upset. 

With a final push Billy slams through the door, and with Max in her arms Z scrunched her eyes shut yet again, along with her fists. No one else sees this, apart from Max who notices the balled fists. 

Ell screams, pulling up a weight with immense power and throwing it towards Billy. She was suprised, it felt like nothing. Normally that sort of thing still took some sort of power, strength. But this time it felt like nothing. She looks to her hands, then back to the group. Z opens her eyes, catching a quick glance before re-focusing. 

Ell is pinning Billy to the wall by his neck with the weight, growling and panting as she keeps pushing, the weight cracking into the bricks. Billy pushes back, throwing Ell back and making Z stumble a little, but her grasp remains with Max. The orange haired girl clenches her jaw as she watches her friend get grabbed by the hair. Billy clasps his hand around her throat, choking her. And that's when both Max and Z have had enough.

Z loosens her grasp on Max, letting her go as she runs forward. She pushes out her power, pushing Billy back with a pulse of the power she had, Max finishing it off by kicking him over. Mike, who was about to hit him with a pole, stands there, shocked. 

Billy was about to go after Mike, but Z was grabbing Ell's hand before he could do anything, both girls eyes screwed shut as Ell lifts Billy off of the ground. Max watches on, concern the only thing that could be seen in her eyes, said eyes trained on the two girls, especially the one lifting this man off of the ground in front of her. With a final blow, Z falling towards the ground, Ell throws him through the wall. Ell falls into Z's arms, the girl panting as Max helps the both of them up. Billy runs for it, Ell standing to watch him flee, as Z leans against Max, exaughsted. 

"The girl, was it her?" It was heathers voice as we get a view of the bright moon. 

"Yeah, it was. She knows. And there was another one", is Billy's voice with an answer. 

"What? What do you mean?" Billy stops Heathers hand from helping his scar.

~~

"Hey, Z, hello? You ok?" The older female woke up, groaning as she looks about. It was Max who was calling to her, standing above her. Ell was sitting on another chair in the corner, holdinga tissueto her nose to clean the blood. 

"Hnng", she groans, sitting up as she looks around. Max smiles slightly, moving to sit next to her, and Ell gives a smile. 

"It was you, yes?" Ell asks, and Z tilts her head, not understanding exactly what Ell was talking about. 

"When I threw him, did you help?" Z can't stop the smile that spreads across her face. 

She nods, "yes, it was". Max squeals, and Ell smiles before the both of them think the same thing. Why did she pass out?

"Why'd you collapse?" Max asks it, and Ell nods to indicate she also wants to know. 

Z takes a deep breath. She had a feeling they at nit be happy she didn't tell them this earlier. Though she was used to this question, got asked it many times in the lab. So she knew exactly how to answer. 

"I used all my energy to help, so it drained me of my energy. Which tries me", it was the same answer she'd given multiple times before. Ell frowns, about to speak before Z asks a question. 

"Where are we?" Her voice shows she's getting scared, about to push herself up and run. But Max stops her, grabbing a hold of her arm. 

"Mike's place", it's a simple answer, but allows the girl to relax slightly. She had a headache, and places a hand to her forehead and groans again. 

"Here", Ell holds out a bottle of water, and two small tablets to the girl. Z gulps, taking the small white tablets cautiously. She was used to all her pills making her sleepy, restraining her power. But she trusted these girls, so she took them, swallowing with a mouthful of water. 

"Come on", Max reaches a hand out to Z as she stands up, and Z takes it.   
"Lets go", Z nods, walking towards the stairs leading up to the ground level of the house. The boys must have let them have the basement, nice of them. 

As Z walks up the stairs, Max and Ell give each other a smile, and Z can feel the slight shyness of the two before they follow her up. Mike was waiting at the top, going to speak with Ell. Ell simply holds up a hand, Max giving her a proud smile before she's leading them out, Lucas and Will simply watching them, dumbfounded. Z simply smirks more at their faces before she closes the door, jogging to catch up to the two younger girls. This was more fun than she'd ever imagine having out of the lab, even if it was the side effect of fighting an evil being.


End file.
